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I am trying to upgrade to a Windows Server (2012) setup from the current Win 8.1 we are using as a server for our small network of 5 users. Also from a Workgroup based to a domain based network.

We have about 5 Printers (Laser, Inkjet, Thermal, Dotmatrix) and I have been advised to use the Print Server role in Windows Server for even the printer with Network capability.

I am very much confused on how to connect the printers physically, we are currently plugging the printer the the client machine and sharing it over the network, as long as the client machine is ON it will print from any of the machines.

Now in the new scenario, how will things work? Do I have to connect each printer physically to the SERVER (WinServer with Print Server Role installed) or I can connect any printer to any client computer ?

Also many print Driver prompt the user to insert the USB cable in the PC before they can proceed with the installation.

Please advise how things work in the proposed scenario and what would be the advantages for using the Print Server Role.

Thanks a ton !!

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For connecting the printers, the server doesn't care - as long as it can reliably connect to the printer, it will try to share it out! My personal suggestion would be to use network-based printers, as you can place them anywhere you can run Category 5/5e/6 cabling.

When you add the printer driver to the server, do not run the auto-launching setup program for your printer. Instead, add the Print Driver manually. Under the Drivers tree, you can add a driver, and browse to the CD-ROM or download of the driver's files, including some *.inf or *.cat files - make sure you know where these are. Select the folder, and it should ask you which printer driver to install. You have the option of installing for other architectures as well - I recommend this if you have a mix of ARM, x86, x64, IA-64 architectures in your environment.

When the computers connect to the server and add the printer, the server spits out the driver, and the port is routed through the server - jobs go to the server, the server renders and prints it to the printer. This is why you have a print server. No wizards should appear from the manufacturer if you install the printer from the server.

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  • thanks a lot, will the scanning function of the printers works if installed in this manner ?
    – udi
    Commented Jun 16, 2016 at 18:14
  • No, it's a print server, not a scan server. You can add a scan server role to the server though
    – Canadian Luke
    Commented Jun 16, 2016 at 19:39

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